Olly Olly Oxen Free - Wikipedia

Jump to content

Contents

move to sidebar hide

• (Top)
• 1 See also
• 2 References

• Article
• Talk

English

• Read
• Edit
• View history

Tools Tools move to sidebar hide Actions

• Read
• Edit
• View history

General

• What links here
• Related changes
• Upload file
• Permanent link
• Page information
• Cite this page
• Get shortened URL
• Download QR code

Print/export

• Download as PDF
• Printable version

In other projects

• Wikidata item

Appearance move to sidebar hide From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Catchphrase used in children's games

"Olly olly oxen free" (spoken aloudⓘ) is a catchphrase or truce term used in children's games such as hide and seek, capture the flag, and kick the can to indicate that players who are hiding can come out into the open without losing the game or that the position of the sides in a game has changed[1] (as in which side is on the field or which side is at bat or "up" in baseball or kickball); alternatively, that the game is entirely over.

The origin of the phrase is unknown. The Dictionary of American Regional English says the phrase may be derived from all ye, all ye outs in free, all the outs in free, or possibly ”calling all the outs in free”; in other words, all who are out may come in without penalty.[2] Others speculate the phrase may be a corruption of a hypothetical and ungrammatical German phrase alle, alle, auch sind frei (all, all, also are free).[1]

A number of variations exist. "Ollyoxalls" is one such variant, said to be used in Portsmouth, England.[3] Another variant is "Ollie Ollie in come free."[4]

See also

[edit]

• Truce term

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Tukey, Paul Boardway; Rowell, Victoria (2012). Tag, Toss & Run: 40 Classic Lawn Games. Storey Pub. pp. 13–. ISBN 9781603425605. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
2. ^ Cassidy, Frederick Gome; and Joan Hall, "Ole Ole Olson All In Free", another way of saying it is oll-e oll-e ox-and-free Dictionary of American Regional English, (1985) Vol III (I-O), p. 874.
3. ^ Opie, Iona and Peter. Lore and Language of Schoolchildren. Oxford: Clarendon, 1959 p.143
4. ^ Tabler, Dave (June 8, 2010). "Ollie Ollie In Come Free!". appalachianhistory.net. Dave Tabler. Archived from the original on 2010-06-18. Retrieved May 20, 2014.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Olly_olly_oxen_free&oldid=1289731749" Categories:

• Children's street culture
• Catchphrases

Hidden categories:

• Pages using the Phonos extension
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata

Search Search Toggle the table of contents Olly olly oxen free 1 language Add topic